TheCardBardShop

Magical holiday photo cards featuring your pets!

Vancouver, Washington | 27 Sales

5 out of 5 stars
(12)

TheCardBardShop

Magical holiday photo cards featuring your pets!

Vancouver, Washington 27 Sales On Etsy since 2017

5 out of 5 stars
(12)

Shop owner

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Announcement   The Card Bard Shop will take your pet photos and transform them into quality custom holiday cards that will amaze your friends and family! Skillful Photoshop techniques and heaps of imagination turn boring greeting cards into family treasures that will be cherished forever. Order over sixty cards, and receive a free 8x10 print of your card.

Order now to get in on our September Special. Ten free cards with every holiday order! No codes to remember, just order in September and you’ll receive ten free cards. Questions? See our FAQs or click on the Ask question link and we will answer.

Announcement

Last updated on Sep 11, 2018

The Card Bard Shop will take your pet photos and transform them into quality custom holiday cards that will amaze your friends and family! Skillful Photoshop techniques and heaps of imagination turn boring greeting cards into family treasures that will be cherished forever. Order over sixty cards, and receive a free 8x10 print of your card.

Order now to get in on our September Special. Ten free cards with every holiday order! No codes to remember, just order in September and you’ll receive ten free cards. Questions? See our FAQs or click on the Ask question link and we will answer.

Cheri

Contact shop owner

Cheri

Items

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Response time: within 24 hours
27 Sales
13 Admirers
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Reviews

Average item review
5 out of 5 stars
(12)

  • k1t2j3s4 on Sep 29, 2018

    5 out of 5 stars

    The Aglow card Cheri did for my two Shelties for 2018 is the 4th card I've ordered from her. Each one becomes my new favorite. Each template is cute, and Cheri works with me to be sure the photos are good and that my message is just right. Then she works her magic and I have a card my friends look forward to; in fact, when I skipped one year, I heard from disappointed friends!

  • Merrin Folender on Sep 18, 2018

    5 out of 5 stars

    I’ve gotten cards for four years now. My photo does not do them justice, they are big and the colors are beautiful! They are the best, Cheri is so talented. These are very special and memorable cards.

  • Mari Stein on Sep 8, 2018

    5 out of 5 stars

    I have used The Card Bard for going on 10 years now, and have never, ever been disappointed. Cheri does amazing work and always brings out the personality of my dog. When I lost my Spike almost 3 years ago, she was very sweet to put up a Facebook memorial post for him. It is something I will never forget and just proves that she truly loves what she does. Thank you for another fabulous card Cheri! Can't wait till next year for another new design!

View all 12 reviews

About

Although we are new to Etsy, we have been in business creating custom cards under the name The Card Bard for over ten years now. We would like to thank all our loyal customers who patiently supported us when, during our busiest season last year, a website failure forced us to make the sudden transition to Etsy. We have throughly enjoyed sharing your family photos, felt your pain when losing a beloved pet, your happiness when welcoming a new one to the family, and have loved watching your children grow up. If you should have any problems ordering with this site, or have any questions, please contact us either with the “Ask Question” function on this site, or by any previous email or phone contact you have for us. All of them will work.

Shop policies

More information

Last updated on Sep 7, 2018
Frequently asked questions
Do your cards fold or are they like a post card? How big are they?

Our cards are the traditional folding style with the inscription on the inside. They are a roomy 5.5” X 8.5”, which conveniently, is the largest size you can mail in the U.S. without adding extra postage.

What kind of photos work best for your cards?

The best pose for most of our cards can be taken from in front of the pet, at his/hers eye level (as opposed from your eye level looking down at the pet on the floor) with the pet in a sitting, standing or upright laying position. Some cards just require a head shot, but most need a shot of all or most of the pet’s body. You can either get down on the floor to take the picture or photograph them while they are sitting on elevated, such as a couch, chair, deck, etc. The best lighting is usually outdoors on bright overcast days or in open shade. Avoid harsh sunlight, however, as it will either bleach out all detail in white fur or turn dark fur to solid black. Separate photos of each pet work the best and feel free to send more than one.

Can you retouch the eye glare from flash?

Yes! We will remove any eye glare from flash at no extra charge. We generally also remove objects such as scruffy collars or leashes that might detract from the image.

Will cell phone (or tablet) photos work for your cards?

The newer models can definitely produce print quality photos. Here are some guidelines to help you achieve the best results:

Clean your lens before taking photos.

If there is a setting for HDR, (usually at the top of the screen) make sure it says "HDR On".

DO NOT USE THE ZOOM FUNCTION.  On cell phones and tablets, this merely crops the photo in the device, making it smaller.  Instead move in as close to the pet as possible.

If you are sending your photos directly from your phone, when your email service gives you an option of what size image to send, always pick largest or original. We need the largest file size available to achieve print quality. Sometimes this mean only sending a couple images at a time in several emails.

What settings should I use on my digital camera?

Set your camera to the largest image size available.

Set ASA to no higher than 400.

Use flash if necessary but turn off red eye correction. This function emits a series of flashes prior to photo and will usually make your pet look away and usually turns the pet’s eyes to black blobs. We will retouch any unwanted eye reflections and do a much better job at it.

Can I send photos take by a professional photographer?

We cannot use professional photos unless the photographer has given us permission to do so. Most are happy to do so - all we need is an email from them.

I have trouble getting my dog to pose for photos. What should I do?

For dogs, it's usually easier to enlist a helper. Have someone hold the dog on a leash in front of you and kneel down to take the photo. Don’t worry if the leash is visible, we will retouch it out. If your dog has a hard time calming down, work in several short sessions (less than ten minutes). Usually by the third one, it has become much less exciting to the pet. Be generous with treats to make it a positive experience.

If you regularly have your pet groomed, a great trick is to accompany the pet on the trip, and when the groomer is finished, snap a couple photos of the pet while they are still on the groomer’s stand. They are pretty close to eye level, they have calmed downed, the lighting is usually good, and they look nice to boot!